Longdendale Valley is in the northern part of the Peak District. The soil
in this part of the park is dark, and it is covered mainly with moorland and forests.
Grouse (a type of wild bird) live in the woodland, and are hunted at certain times
of the year. There are several reservoirs which are used to provide water to the
neighbouring population centres.

Castleton is a beautiful village in the middle of the Peak District. You
can follow the side of the river up the hill to go to see the ruins of Peveril
Castle, which was built by the son of William the Conqueror and gives you
good views of the surrounding area. Alternatively, you can spend time in the local
tea-shops or crafts shops, and you can buy jewellery made from a local stone called
Blue John.

The keep of Peveril Castle

View of Castleton from the path up to the castle

Blue John jewellery

A local wool shop

Around Castleton are a series of caverns (underground caves) which can be visited.
The limestone soil is much lighter than the stone found in the northern part of
the Peak District. Speedwell Cavern used to be a lead mine and contains
a flooded tunnel which leads to a lake known as a "bottomless pit".
You can take a boat ride to go and see this. Guided walking tours are also available
in the Peak Cavern (also known locally as the Devil's Arse).

Buxton is the largest town in the Peak District, with a population of about
20,000. It is most famous for its mineral water, which can be sampled from
a public fountain in the town. The Crescent was built in 1780-90 (during
the Georgian period of British history; see: Britain/History/Georgian),
copying the similar crescent in the other spa town of Bath (see: Travel/Tours/England/Bath).

Bakewell is a small market town with a population of about 4,000. One of
its most attractive features is a medieval bridge with 5 arches which crosses
the River Wye. There are pleasant walks along the river. This is an agricultural
area, and holds a regular cattle market.

Bakewell Puddings originated here: it is said that in about 1860 a cook
at a local hotel was making a jam tart, but instead of putting the egg mixture
in the pastry he accidentally spread it on top of the jam. To make a Bakewell
Pudding:
- create a pastry case
- spread strawberry jam on top
-cover with a mixture made of eggs, butter, sugar and ground almonds
- bake in an oven
Two shops in Bakewell each claim to have the oldest recipe: The Old Original
Bakewell Pudding Shop on Bridge Street, and Bloomers Original Bakewell
Pudding Shop on Water Street.
Bakewell pudding (often served with hot custard) is a popular dessert in places
which serve traditional British food. Smaller versions (usually known as Bakewell
tarts or Bakewell slices) can be bought in bakeries or supermarkets throughout
the UK.

A couple of miles east of Bakewell there is a magnificent country house called
Chatsworth. Sheep graze in the parkland around the house. The house and
its gardens can be visited during much of the year.

The next major town is Chesterfield, which is famous for its church (St
Mary & All Saints Church), which has a strange crooked spire. There
are many legends which try to explain the reason for the unusual shape. One story
which is popular with the locals is that a virgin was once married inside the
church, and the spire was so surprised about this that it bent down to look -
it will only become straight again the next time that a virgin is married there
...!

Lonely Planet verdict: The Peak District
"The Peak District National Park is a remarkable region, with pretty
villages, historic sites, grand houses, fascinating limestone caves, the
southern-most hills of the Pennines, and some of England's most wild and
beautiful scenery ... To escape the crowds, you should avoid summer weekends,
but even then, with a bit of imagination, it's still easy enough to enjoy
this wonderful area in relative peace and solitude"
(extracts from "Lonely Planet Great Britain - 2003 edition",
used with permission)